J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours

Turner has drawn two very similar sketches of different lochs on this page which he has helpfully labelled: ‘Loch Long’ (top), and ‘Loch Goil’ (bottom). David Wallace-Hadrill and Janet Carolan have identified the top sketch as a view looking north up Loch Long from near the northern end. The mountains that surround the loch are therefore Ben Arthur at the left and Ben Reach at the right. They have identified the second sketch as looking north-east into Loch Goil from the junction of Lochs Goil and Long; the building on the promontory at the left may be Carrick Castle.1

Turner is likely to have made these two sketches as he travelled south down the length of Loch Long from Arrochar (see Tour of Scotland for Scott’s Poetical Works 1831 Tour Introduction and Tate D26469; Turner Bequest CCLXXI 17a for more information on Turner’s visit to Loch Long).

Turner made another sketch of the mouth of Loch Goil in the Stirling and the West sketchbook (Tate D26470; Turner Bequest CCLXX 18), and on folio 5 of the present sketchbook (D26627) there is another view of Carrick Castle from the south-east; however, this was probably made when Turner travelled up Loch Goil on the outward journey of his tour around Loch Long, Loch Goil and Loch Fyne, rather than during his journey down Loch Long on the return.

There is another view north up Loch Long on folio 10 verso (D26638), and a different view on folio 7 (D26631); for more information on Turner’s sketches of Loch Long see the Stirling and the West sketchbook (Tate D26469; Turner Bequest CCLXX 17a). There are sketches of Loch Goil on folios 1 verso, 3–5 verso, and 7 (D26620, D26623–D26628), and perhaps on 10 verso (D26638). Sketches of Glen Goil, which Turner travelled along after reaching Lochgoilhead to reach St Catherine’s at Loch Fyne, appear on folios 1 verso, 10 verso and 15 (D26620, D26638, D26647).